Best light tarp poles if not using trekking poles?

edit: nm didn’t realize Philmont, so yeah.

I haven’t gone yet, but how many in your crew will have trekking poles? You can strap them together and save the weight.

Straps

Tarptent has various support poles (to replace trekking poles) for their tents such as this one.

Cheap Costco poles are probably pretty cost effective.

Even cheaper and potentially lighter would be:

1) cross-country ski poles from GoodWill or Salvation Army.  $5/pair.  Cut to length with a hacksaw.  Tape the ends.
2) Crutches from a thrift store (when I try to buy some, they always give me all they have because they keep piling up).  Drill out the rivets and cut the aluminum tubing to length.  It will have slight curves in it, but will work fine as a tent pole.  $5/pair = 4 tent poles.

3) A wooden dowel from Home Depot or any lumber store.  Some places only have 36″ ones which might well be enough.  Other places have 48″ ones.  You might be surprised how thin a dowel can handle the compression load.  1/2″ is probably overkill.  7/16″ might be enough; 3/8″ if it 30″ or less.  Often, wood (the original composite material!) is the lightest option until you get until carbon fiber or titanium.

Flying might be a concern

Honestly, we tied off to trees.  We used the same tree bark protection method for our tarp(s) that we used for bear bags.  Our Rangers worked with the crew to make sure we were doing correctly.  We had trekking poles that we could have used, but tying off to trees allowed us to hang the tarp higher than with poles.

these Tarpnet poles look good, great weights.

any recommendation for for the height needed ?  I was thinking get the tallest and if needed can remove a section.

interesting, had not heard that before.  thanks.

Philmont’s standard dining fly set-up is 4 feet high ridge line and staked out so the bottom edges are about a foot off the ground for ventilation during protection from afternoon rain and hail storms. The Scouts may congregate, socialize and play cards under it at other times.

We cut down some old aluminum tent poles (about 3/8” dia.) to 4 feet total height each pole (3 sections per pole) and shock corded them. Equivalent to trekking poles if no one brings any.